Poster

P11.1 – Enhancing plant growth with wood-based electronics 

Alexandra Sandéhn

Linköping university

Co-author(s):
Eleni  Stavrinidou, Linköping university
Vasileios K. Oikonomou, Linköping university

The globally rising population results in an increasing food demand. In parallel, the changing climate results in higher demands for sustainable crop cultivation and agriculture. Hydroponic cultivation minimizes water and fertilizer use while maximizing food production in limited urban spaces.(1) Commercially available hydroponic substrates, often produced from non-sustainable materials, primarily provide mechanical support.(2) To address this, we developed a bioelectronic scaffold to enable electrical stimulation of plant growth, denoted eSoil. Combining forest-derived nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) with the conductive polymer PEDOT:PSS yields a structurally stable, conductive growth scaffold. Our results demonstrate that barley, a key agricultural crop, grows well in eSoil, with electrical stimulation increasing seedling dry weight by 50%. Preliminary findings also indicate enhanced nitrate assimilation in stimulated plants compared to non-stimulated ones, and additional studies will further explore the origin of the electric field growth effect.(3) Our work advances hydroponic plant growth through bioelectronics derived from natural materials, promoting sustainable food production. Additionally, it offers potential applications in the forest industry by supporting early-stage tree cultivation.

References:(1) Pinstrup-andersen, P. Is It Time to Take Vertical Indoor Farming Seriously ? Glob. Food Sec. 2018, 17, 233–235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2017.09.002. (2) Allaire, S. E.; Caron, J.; Ménard, C.; Dorais, M. Potential Replacements for Rockwool as Growing Substrate for Greenhouse Tomato. Can. J. Soil Sci. 2005, 85 (1), 67–74. https://doi.org/10.4141/S04-026. (3) Oikonomou, V. K.; Huerta, M.; Sandéhn, A.; Dreier, T.; Daguerre, Y.; Lim, H.; Berggren, M.; Pavlopoulou, E.; Näsholm, T.; Bech, M.; Stavrinidou, E. ESoil : A Low – Power Bioelectronic Growth Scaffold That Enhances Crop Seedling Growth. 2023, 121. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.

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